Bologna hosts fourth City to City Visit for refugee integration

The fourth edition of the ‘City to City Visit’ has commenced in Bologna. This two-day event brings together representatives from 21 Italian municipalities, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, and the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) to strengthen local integration paths for refugees.

Organized by the City of Bologna, ASP Città di Bologna, and the UNHCR, the initiative aims to consolidate the Charter for the Integration of Refugees. The event also serves as the launch for the third Report of the Charter for Integration. Key strategic themes include the active social and public participation of refugees, the governance of the municipal network, and access to housing—a critical issue as UNHCR studies indicate nearly one in ten refugees lives in extreme housing fragility.

The institutional opening at Palazzo d’Accursio featured speakers including Bologna Deputy Mayor Emily Marion Clancy, Welfare Assessor Matilde Madrid, and UNHCR Representative for Italy, Holy See, Malta, and San Marino, Francesca Bonelli.